No oil pressure - much faffing, now a plea for help!

[mikeakc]

Hi all,
I wonder whether you could advise me on how to get to the bottom of why I have no oil pressure reading on my BMC 2.2.

I was changing the oil filter element as part of my annual winter service. It was a royal pain in the backside to re-assemble the oil filter body (bolt through the bottom) and when I restarted the engine having completed the job, the gasket blew out (obviously I hadn't managed to seat it properly), squirting oil across the boat and making a god-almighty mess. Choice words were directed at the engine and I instantly regretted throwing my sacrificial towel out of the boat onto the drive moments earlier. Following these fun and games I decided to purchase a conversion kit for a spin on filter which I installed with no issues (I pre-filled the filter with oil too). I added some blue hylomar gasket sealant to the mount for good measure and checked and corrected oil levels. The next day I nipped up the bolts on the filter mount body and started the engine - the spin on filter weeped oil. I couldn't get it any tighter by hand so I purchased some filter pliers, gave it another turn and it no longer weeps - oil level in the engine still fine.

However, upon running the engine the pressure still shows zero PSI. I concluded (incorrectly it seems) that I must have blown the sender or gauge during the previous gasket blowout incident, so I purchased a replacement durite gauge and sender, fitted these tonight but STILL no oil pressure reading! When I turn the ignition on, the gauge jumps from its off position up to zero, so it has power and is responsive.

Does anybody have any idea where to go from here? I was planning on removing and re-fitting the spin on filter mount, but this seems unlikely - if that was the problem surely I'd see oil coming out somewhere?

Any advice would be very gratefully received!
Thanks,
Mike

p.s. this is what the conversion kit looks like - Screw Oil Filter Conversion kit BMC 2.2 2.5 Engines Leyland Commodore Commander | eBay

 

[Keith-i]

Is there perhaps a blockage on the outlet pipe work from the filter which is causing a pressure build up in the filter resulting in the escape of oil? This would also explain no oil pressure assuming the sender is downstream of the filter.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Is the oil getting to the sensor? Take it out and start engine briefly with cloth over the hole! If not then the other possibility is oil pump failure somehow simultaneously or caused by your works.

I hope for you its mere gauge incompatability or a blockage you can get to. I would be suspicious of the conversion kit gaskets in case they are blocking the oilways

 

[Boater Sam]

The gasket on the filter head is blocking the outlet, that is why it leaked from the filter o ring, the pressure in the filter is way too high. The pressure sender is down stream of the filter so no pressure reading.

 

[Boater Sam]

Or the filter head is not the correct one for the engine. Do not run the engine before you have sorted this, you risk destroying it.

 

[Freebee]

I dont know the engine but there will be a pressure relief valve somewhere ....maybe stuck open#

 

[vyv_cox]

The gasket in your link and the one in the photo below the kit are not identical. Not totally dissimilar but enough that one may block the discharge passage if not quite right. As others suggest I would check that the new gasket is not blocking something. Also worth checking that all the holes have been drilled in the housing and they all line up.

 

[Bilgediver]

Or the filter head is not the correct one for the engine. Do not run the engine before you have sorted this, you risk destroying it.

This would be my thought. Compare the ports in the old head with those in the new head. Are all the ports similar and in the same places.

 

[Freebee]

as others have said you should not run it anymore, remove the spin on casting and perhaps go back to the supplier of the spin on kit for comments.

 

[mikeakc]

Some very sensible suggestions here gents, many thanks. I will investigate and establish that:

a) the oil, inlet and outlet ports marry up to the old unit

b) there is oil pressure behind the sensor

c) the gasket is seated correctly and possibly make a new gasket with gasket paper.

I will back of course! Thanks again for the advice Mike

 

[snowbird30ds]

Is there a non return valve in the new filter head? Which way does the oil flow through as the filter will have a rubber flap in so will only flow one way acting as it's own non return valve.

 

[Boater Sam]

b) there is oil pressure behind the sensor

Do I read that correctly? If so is it simply that the electric pressure sensor is not connected to the gauge?

 

[wingcommander]

Do I read that correctly? If so is it simply that the electric pressure sensor is not connected to the gauge?

I think Mike is just thinking out loud, and referenceing a to do list.